Vikings sign ex-Green Bay linebacker Desmond Bishop to 1-year deal

Bishop was released by the Green Bay Packers a week ago, worked out for the Vikings last week and was signed by the team to a one-year deal Monday.

Bishop's agent, Blake Baratz (@blakebaratz), confirmed the signing on Twitter. Baratz tweeted: congrats 2 @Desbishop55 on heading 2 the Vikings. Gr8 player but a better person. Bizarre week to say the least, but great addition 4 all

Bishop was a very productive player for the Packers; he had 218 total tackles in 2010 and 2011 before having to miss the 2012 season because of a hamstring injury.

The Vikings now have options for middle linebacker. Jasper Brinkley, last year's starter, signed as a free agent with Arizona, and it appeared Erin Henderson would move to the middle this season. Henderson said at mini-camp last week that the position was his; Marvin Mitchell was working with the first defensive unit at outside linebacker.

Bishop was an inside linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 scheme, but started his career playing inside in a 4-3 defense.

Bishop, 28, was a sixth-round pick (192nd overall) by the Packers out of Cal in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Q: Did you guys get to look at Desmond Bishop at all today?
Williams: We did. Good workout and we’ll see. We are doing our due diligence in terms of bringing in guys that are free agents. The neat thing is I don’t have to make those decisions. I just have to coach them once they get here. Coach Leslie Frazier and Rick Spielman are the ones that make those hard decisions.

Q: How hard of an adjustment would that be for him in terms of defensive schemes?
Williams: I don’t think there is much. It’s not rocket science. It’s football and it’s still about running to the ball, tackling and reading your keys and making plays when the ball comes to you, so I don’t think it’s a big adjustment.

Q: Would he play on the outside or the inside?
Williams: I’m not sure. I haven’t seen enough tape on him. That would be Coach Frazier and Rick Spielman, they would answer that a lot better than I could. From what I hear, he’s just a good football player.